Question:
Why do drugs that affect bacterial
ribosomes not also affect host cell ribosomes
Replies:
Bacterial ribosomes are structurally different from
eukaryotic (host cell) ribosomes. For instance,
bacterial ribosomes have two ribosomal RNA molecules,
whereas eukaryotes have three (5S rRNA is missing in
bacteria). There are also sufficient RNA sequence
differences that allow drugs to act specifically.
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